When DCSs turned up for their annual gathering in Manchester this month, they were greeted by protestors demonstrating against children's social workers' perceived shortcomings to protect children sufficiently. Some directors had to be ushered in through the back door of the venue before the demonstrators were removed by police.
DCSs are a tough breed and used to taking such public flack, but the protest set the tone for what was to come over the next two days, as government policymakers set out a challenging agenda for children's services over the coming parliament. Government adoption adviser Martin Narey got the ball rolling with calls for further reforms to social work training, before going on to suggest the DCS role should be opened up to leaders from outside traditional social work or education routes. The suggestion has the air of the coalition government's teaching reforms, which gave free schools the freedom to employ people with no formal teaching qualification.
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